


Reboot (6) - Tiger

by Prisca



Series: Reboot-Universe [6]
Category: Jeremiah (TV), The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, M/M, Reboot-Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-10 01:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5563234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the downfall of the old world and the beginning of a new one.</p><p>Casey has managed it to kill the alien queen, but her death caused a virus which killed almost every adult within some weeks.<br/>Now it's up to the children to find a way to survive ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reboot (6) - Tiger

**Author's Note:**

> This will not be a WIP with who-knows-how-much chapters but a universe I want to play with. There will be a central theme running trough all the stories, but mostly stand-alone chapter. It takes place in a world after the Big Death (Jeremiah) but it will mainly tell the story of Casey & Zeke (The Faculty). You don't need to know anything about Jeremiah or The Faculty to read these stories, but if you do some elements will be quite familiar for you. Not movie-conform!

They were following the tracks for almost two hours now and Zeke started to believe that they would never be able to find the causer. Only the thought of the three young, scared women let him still move on.

It had been last evening when he and Casey did find the old farm. Despite the provisionally repaired roof and some broken, nailed up windows it was in a good state, with a small barn and a kitchen garden aside. Zeke had stopped, hoping for a meal and maybe a warm place where they could stay overnight.

The last days had been cold and rainy, Casey didn't stop shivering, though, of course, he wouldn't complain, as usual. He was the most stubborn boy he had ever seen, but to be honest, he enjoyed it to be together with him. Not only the world had changed, he had too. The times where he had only been interested in parties, girls and fun, where he had cared about nothing and no one were long gone.

They were on the road now for some weeks and Casey was still not willing to give up and go back to Herrington where they would find at least some comfort. Though no one they had met on their trip seemed to know about this mysterious 'Thunder Mountain' they were looking for. Zeke was convinced that it didn't even exit, it was just a pipe-dream of a freaking guy. But Casey did believe his words, that the fate of the world depends on him … again. He had been the one who had killed the alien-queen … which had caused the 'Big Death', almost everyone older than twenty died. It was almost two years ago but Zeke knew, Casey still felt guilty and he was looking for a way to make up for it. No way that Zeke would leave him alone out here. The world hadn't stopped turning but had changed, everyone was fighting to survive and a lot gangs of skinheads and other schizos had earned too much power.

But there were other people, too, like the women in the farm house. First they had been cautious when Zeke had stopped the Chevrolet in front of the farm but relaxed soon when he had offered them some goods in trade for a meal and maybe a place to sleep in the barn.

“Come on in,” the woman, Jenny was her name, had said.  
“We have some cure meat and potatoes, I guess it's enough for all of us.”

They had spent a nice evening. The meal was great, Zeke had added some milk powder, sugar and flour for some pancakes for dessert, they had talked and laughed, and when it was time for the children to go to bed, Casey had offered to tell them a fairy tale.

Liz smiled and watched them leaving the room.  
“He's great with children.”

“Yeah.”  
Zeke nodded.  
“In Herrington, he was often hanging around with Delilah. She was the former cheerleader queen, pretty much a bitch. But when it was needed she did surprise all of us, she adopted a baby. Marie. Casey loves her, he says, whatever will happen, he could never stop fighting for a better world because the children deserve this.”

“He's right.”  
Liz looked at the baby boy who was sleeping in her arms.  
“When … when it happened … it freaked me out. I run and … tried to hide. All I wanted was to wake up out of this nightmare. But it didn't happen. I was sure I would die like all the others around me.

It was Jenny who found me, she was on the run with her little sister. I don't like to think about the next weeks, the things we did to survive. But then we did find the farm. It was a stormy day and we were looking for shelter. Here we met Ann, with Ben and Daniel. The children of her former neighbor, their parents died, they were all alone for days until Ann heard them crying.”

Liz hesitated.  
“Since then we are living here,” she finally added.  
“It's a good place. We grow vegetables, we have some chicken and some wild rabbits. Even a goat … but … maybe we will have to leave soon.”

“Why should you? Someone is threatening you?”  
Zeke felt anger rising up. The women had worked so hard for this place and in times like these, it was a shelter, so much better than to live on the road or somewhere in a rotten town. It was just not fair …

“Not someone,” Liz said.  
“Something.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“It's … something not human.”

Obviously Liz was not sure if she should tell him more. And yes, under other circumstances he might had laughed about it, but she looked seriously worried.

“It started some weeks ago. Only during the nights. First it was the rabbit hutch. We thought it was a wolf or maybe a feral dog. Then we found the tracks. I've never seen anything like that before. They are big, like from a heavy, great creature. Some nights ago it came back to kill the goat. We could hear her crying but before Jen could get the gun, it was over. We did see a shadow vanishing into the woods. And the sound it made ...”

Liz shuddered at the memory alone.  
“It was creepy. To be honest, there is not much what can freak my out anymore, but … this thing … I can barely sleep anymore, I dream about it that it comes into the house to get the children. Maybe it would be better to leave … but this is our home. I don't know if I can endure this once again. To leave everything behind, without knowing where to go.”

“We will help you!”

Zeke stiffened at Casey's determined voice from behind.

xxx

As usual, he had gotten his way. And now they were here, in the nearby woods, following a track also Zeke couldn't say to whom or what it belonged to. It was nothing he had ever seen before. And as much he felt sorry for the young women, in a way he felt relieved. To face an unknown danger with Casey beside him was nothing he was eager about.

“We should go ...”  
… back, he wanted to say, but in the same moment, he could hear Casey breathing in heavily, there was a cracking in the woods beside them. Alarmed he jerked around his fingers around the trigger of his gun. But what he caught sight off made him stiffen and gape bewildered.

He blinked, once, twice, he knew it was impossible because he didn't do drugs anymore, not even a bit pot or some of his scat but this felt like one of the most weird dreams under the influence of drugs he had ever had.

„Good god,” Casey whispered.

And Zeke knew it had to be real. Casey could see the tiger too. A tiger! He was cowering between some trees, high grass and dense bushes. His fur yellow with dark stripes, his tail moved up and down slightly, his dark eyes with the golden iris pointed at them. He looked small, not even full grown. Calm, almost uninterested he was lying there, watching them, but Zeke knew better than to underestimate the danger.

Without further movement he slowly put his hand on Casey's arm to warn him, he could feel his tension. His thoughts were racing. What could they do? Running away in panic was not an option, the tiger would be quicker then they were. He felt the weight of his gun. It was not what he wanted to do, what an amazing animal. He wondered where he did come from. Probably from a zoo or a circus … he had somehow managed it to escape … free for the first time in his life. Zeke swallowed. It was not fair. But what other option did he have? The farm was nearby, his hunting ground, for the moment it was enough for him to take the easiest prey, but this would change. The tiger would grow up, get stronger and it was only a matter of time that he would run into one of the women … or, even worse, the children. Usually a tiger would try to avoid it to get near to humans but what other options did he have in a world he didn't belonged to ...

Zeke aimed the gun at the tiger, still not sure if it was a good idea. He was a good shooter but would he able to kill a tiger? If he would only hurt him he would turn into an unpredictable beast. Even he wasn't fully grown, he was big and strong enough to cause serious injuries. And Zeke was not willing to risk that, not with Casey by his side.

Then everything seemed to happen in the same moment. Casey noticed the gun in his hand and grabbed for his arm to push it down.  
“No, Zeke, don't!”  
It was barely a whisper, but enough to alarm the tiger, every fiber of his body tensed in expectation of the danger, he crouched down, ready to attack. Zeke stopped thinking, just followed his instincts. He pushed Casey back, the boy slumped and yelped when his head hit a tree behind them. The tiger jumped, Zeke's arm shot up and he pulled the trigger … once, twice, thrice … The best he did hope for was to gain some time.

“Case, run,” he yelled at him breathless.

And Casey did. The tiger had stopped his attack, reeled for a split of a moment, took a few unsteady steps and finally collapsed. Instead of bringing as much distance as possible between himself and the still existing danger Casey rushed over to the animal, dropped onto his knees beside it. Zeke stood paralyzed, it was like a nightmare, he stared at the scenery in front of him, expecting the tiger gaining his power again, jumping up, attacking Casey … there would be no chance to escape … he could already hear him crying … death cries …

But nothing happened, no sound to hear, the world had stopped to turn around. It felt like an eternity until the slight sobbing reached his ears, Casey's shoulders were shaking violently. Still cautious Zeke stepped closer, ready to shoot once again if the animal would show any sign of life. He noticed blood coming out of a wound in his head and another, smaller one on his spine. An amazing animal, bigger than he had suspected, the paws heavy, the jaw slightly open so that he could see long, white teeth. Zeke felt relieved that the tiger didn't seem to breath anymore. Maybe they were lucky ...

Casey finally noticed him coming closer and looked up, tears his in eyes, but accusing and furious at the same time.  
“Don't worry, you did a good job,” he spat.  
“He's dead!”

And his relief was brushed away by anger.  
“What the hell are you thinking, huh,” Zeke yelled and grabbed for his shoulder to shake him.  
“You don't care about your life? Well, I do! It's a predator, Casey, he could have killed us as if it is nothing at all. Fuck, I didn't survive an alien invasion just to end as a meal for a tiger.”

Casey stayed unimpressed.  
“He was still a baby. And you killed him without caring about it. Because you are still a selfish prick. You had no right to do that. He's only tried to survive, what's wrong with that?”

His hand rested on the back of the tiger almost caressing. Zeke cursed inwardly. What a little shit. He knew he had done the only right thing … so why did he feel so low?

“Case!”  
Zeke sighed.  
“You know I had no choice. He actually shouldn't be here, he don't belong into this world. Never did, a tiger should be free, not born in captivity, looked up in a cage. What kind of life it this?”

Casey huffed annoyed.  
“Oh! So you did him a favor when you killed him? It's that easy, isn't it? God, Zeke, you are such an asshole.”

Suddenly he jumped up, turned around and started to hurry away. Zeke frowned. What now?

“Case, wait! What are you doing?”

“Going back. To the farm. Get a shovel.”

“A shovel?”

“To bury him. At least that I can do for him!”

Zeke looked back to the animal under the tree, it would be a tough piece of work, the ground was loamy and wet, but he could understand Casey's feelings.  
“Okay,” he agreed.  
“I will help you!”

Casey jerked to a stop and turned back to him, still tears in his eyes but wildly resolved.  
“No, thank you! You … did … kill him. You will not touch him again.”

xxx

Casey went back to the place where they had left the tiger behind together with Liz. The young woman had insisted on going with him and he finally had given in. In silence, they had made their way. And when they reached the dead animal Liz stood thunderstruck.

“Good god,” she murmured.  
“He looks beautiful.”

“He is!”  
Casey smiled sadly.  
“And he had no chance. It's so not fair.”

Liz looked up.  
“You think it was wrong what Zeke did,” she asked.  
“That there should have been another way?”

Casey shrugged. He still remembered the shock, the astonishment … and the relief … in the women's eyes when Zeke had told that the monster which had visited them since days had turned out to be a tiger … and that he had killed him. All they could think about was that the danger was over now, that they wouldn't have to leave the farm. In times like these it was so much when you did find a shelter where you could feel at home. But the thought didn't want to go out of Casey's mind that again he had tried to do the right thing and it ended with the death of an innocent creature. Like killing Mary Beth had caused the death of half of the population. Sometimes he was so sick of it, then he was ready to tell Zeke: Let's go home! Home, Herrington, the Merriot Hotel where his friends were waiting for him. But the voice in his head was stronger: The fate of the world depends on you.

Poundering he looked at the tiger. Was this part of the plan? Was it his fate to be in charge for the life on this world? He suddenly felt dizzy and swayed, Liz grabbed for his arm to give him some hold.

“Hey, you okay?”

Casey squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to breath. The panic vanished. But when he opened his eyes again, the tiger was still there, drying blood on his forehead, his eyes wide open but dull, dead. Slowly Casey bent down and grabbed the shovel.  
"I guess we should get over with it now."

They did finish their work without talking much, without a rest. When it was done, Liz threw a last glance at the grave of the tiger.

"I'm glad that he's dead," she admitted.  
"You are right, it's selfish, he would have deserved it to grow up, to live. But all I can think about are the children. They used to play in the nearby woods. Who knows how long he was out there … the danger was so close. And we didn't even recognize it. We felt so safe out here … but there is no safe place in the world anymore, isn't it?”

Casey kept quiet. All he wanted was to leave this place behind, to go back on the road … together with Zeke in the old Chevrolet … driving … just driving ...

xxx

They spend another night on the farm, a warm bath in a wooden tube for Casey when they did come back from the woods, another great meal in the evening though it was not half of the fun like the day before. All of them were still feeling shocked and worn out. Only the children were chatting and laughing like before, they didn't know about the danger they had been into … and others which still might wait for them.

Worst for Zeke was that Casey still refused to talk with him. He didn't look angry anymore but sad and tired. Zeke would put his life into his hands, Casey was stronger than he seemed to be, he had proofed it more then once since the Big Death had turned the world around. But be was still a caring and compassionate guy, fighting with nightmares because the things he saw and did. And Zeke knew well enough, when he was in that mood there was not much he could do to cheer him up.

Then it was time to go, the good-bye was quick but hearty, they women had insisted on giving them some homemade marmalade, fruits and fresh bread as a thank you. When Casey opened the door on the passenger's side, as usual, an idea crossed Zeke's mind. He tossed the key over the roof of the Chevrolet.

“Your turn!”

“What do you mean? It's all packed.”

“I have a stupid headache today. It's about time that you take up your part of the driving.”

“Oh! But ...”  
Casey looked dumbfounded and Zeke had a hard time to suppress a grin. At least, he had been able to spark his interest. They were on the road now for over a month and it had never been a question who was the driver. Zeke wasn't even sure if Casey could actually drive. Sometimes he had considered to teach him. One could never know what would happen tomorrow. But the thought alone to take place on the passengers seat was strange. He had had his own car since he was sixteen, he had loved the GTO and no one had ever dared to put a hand onto the wheel but him.

“You can drive, don't you?”

Casey nodded, still looking confused.  
„I did use the old Audi of my mom now and then. Got the license some weeks … before ...”

Zeke cringed inwardly but no way that he would back off now.  
„Then better be careful. This baby has a lot more power under the hood than an Audi.”  
He went over to the other side of the Chevrolet and slipped onto the passengers seat, happy to see the slight grin on Casey's face when he put the key into the ignition.

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted at my LJ 2014


End file.
